A seasoned architect and CEO of Framing Futures Architectural Firm, Androsky Lugo has long pushed for eco-friendly building design and construction to mitigate climate change’s potentially devastating effects. He explains why concrete, used for construction twice as often as other building materials, is so bad for the environment and offers alternative material options for conscientious designers and builders.
Androsky Lugo explains that cement manufacturing emits more carbon dioxide than any country other than the United States and China. The main reason is that an integral component of cement, called clinker, is made by heating clay and limestone in a furnace heated to 1,400 degrees Celsius. This heating process releases carbon dioxide and water vapor into the atmosphere. About 70% of all cement manufacturing emissions are due to this heating process, while the other 30% comes from the heavy use of energy in the manufacturing process. Concrete manufacturing also releases NOX, which contributes to ground-level smog, and PM10, which is harmful to the lungs when inhaled.
The finished product isn’t much better, Lugo notes. Concrete negatively affects pre-existing ecosystems by raising pH levels in the soil. This happens not only during the construction process but also long-term, as limestone, a key component in cement, seeps into the soil as it rains, thus making it impossible for some native plants to find and absorb nutrients. As plants and trees become sickly, an area’s risk of flooding and desertification increases. It also negatively impacts animals in the area, causing some to die and others to move on.
Androsky Lugo points out that cement manufacturing companies are taking measures to lower energy usage to reduce emissions significantly. Some are even turning to “green” cement, made from industrial waste that would otherwise wind up in a landfill. The cost of such cement is higher than ordinary cement, but many construction companies use it to ensure their buildings are sustainable and environmentally friendly. At the same time, others are turning away from concrete altogether and using natural materials such as hardwood, bamboo, hemp, straw, and finite, a material made from desert sand. Eco-friendly prefab homes are also becoming increasingly common. These homes, assembled off-site and then transported to a property, are frequently made using reclaimed building materials and eco-friendly insulation.
Lugo, also known as A. Alberto Lugo, encourages architects, engineers, and real estate investors to consider the many benefits of eco-friendly building design and construction. While concrete is still the most common construction material, it wreaks havoc on the environment by releasing carbon dioxide and pollutants into the environment, ruining fertile soil, and wrecking animal habitats. Thankfully, multiple substitutes for concrete may cost a bit more than concrete, offer significant environmental benefits, and can easily be used to create comfortable, durable, and aesthetic homes and buildings.